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You can help as department seeks input on proposed projects

The department is seeking public comment through July 30 on the FY 2019-25 draft of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), and you can help by telling friends and family of this opportunity — all transportation stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

The ITIP is a seven-year “roadmap” for planning and developing transportation projects, including:

- Highways and bridges
- Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
- Highway safety
- Railroad crossing safety
- Airports
- Public transportation
- Transportation planning
- Freight

The transportation department is offering an online, interactive map that allows users to choose specific project categories, and learn about work that is planned for the area of Idaho they’re interested in. It’s called the Idaho Transportation Project Map.

To view the draft ITIP and interactive map, please visit: www.itd.idaho.gov/funding/?target=draft-itip.

The draft ITIP document lists projects by highway route and location, identifies projected years for right-of-way acquisition, preliminary engineering, construction and estimated project costs. It also lists local construction projects that are federally funded.

Some of the more significant projects in the various areas of the state:

North Idaho
- A traffic-management study in 2019 for coordinated management of traffic flow in the populous areas of Kootenai County.
- Other studies in 2019 include assessments of the Interstate 90 viaduct over Wallace, the Veterans Memorial Bridge and the Moyie River Bridge.

North-central Idaho
- Expansion of US-95 from Thorncreek Road to Moscow next summer.
- The creation of multiple passing lanes on US-95 in the Culdesac Canyon.
- Constructing turn lanes and passing lanes throughout the region and maintenance of deficient highways and bridges.

Southwest Idaho
- Adding lanes to I-84 in Nampa to Caldwell
- Adding lanes to US-20/26 (Chinden Blvd) west of Eagle Road
- Adding lanes to Idaho Highway 55 (Karcher Rd.) between Midway and Middleton Roads
- Realigning ID-55 to improve safety from Smiths Creek to Round Valley
- Adding a third lane on westbound I-84 west of Hammett

South-central Idaho
- A bridge replacement in Twin Falls County at the Idaho Highway 50/Interstate 84 Interchange near Exit 182.
- Work will continue along the Idaho Highway 75 Corridor from Elkhorn Road to River Street in Blaine County.
- A bridge replacement over the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River on Idaho Highway 75 in Custer County.

Eastern Idaho
- A public-private partnership to build the I-15 Northgate Interchange beginning in 2019.
- Upgrading the I-86 & I-15 Interchange in 2022.
- Replacement of the I-15 Fort Hall Interchange starting in 2022.
- I-15 & US-20 Jct. project for safety and mobility improvements.
- The US-20 Chester to Ashton project to improve capacity and safety

Overall, these projects start in 2019, and go through 2025.

Public comments will help the department determine if proposed projects meet the department’s three main objectives of improving safety, mobility and economic opportunity.

Production of the ITIP is a year-round process that relies on input from elected officials, citizens, tribal governments, other state and federal agencies, Idaho’s metropolitan planning organizations, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, and other interested organizations.

Comments can be e-mailed to adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to ITIP – Comments, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129. Paper or CD copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting Rush at (208) 334-8119 or by e-mail at adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov.

A request for a paper copy or CD also can be mailed to: Idaho Transportation Department, Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129.

A printed copy can be reviewed at any of ITD's district offices in Coeur d'Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Shoshone, Pocatello and Rigby.

All comments on the draft will be reviewed after July 30. After approval by the Idaho Transportation Board, the ITIP is submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.